This invention relates generally to tension relieving or reducing means for safety belt retractors which have a biasing means for normally biasing the associated safety belt storage means toward a belt retracted condition when the belt is protracted, as when placed in condition for use as part of a vehicle associated safety harness. More specifically, the present invention relates to a tension relieving means which restricts the biasing force of the belt storage means biasing means from acting fully upon the belt when in use so that the single biasing means of the retractor is employed for normal belt retractive operations as well as supplies the mode of force for a reduced tension travel of the belt when in use.
Safety belt retractors are in general use in vehicles in association with safety belt and safety harness arrangements wherein a portion of the harness or an associated safety belt passes across the upper torso of the passenger. In order to promote convenient and comfortable use of such belt, when in use, it is desirable to provide a means for reducing the tension otherwise effected in the belt due to the presence of the retractor rewind or retraction biasing means which generally comprises a retractor spring associated with the belt reel. Prior attempts at reducing the tension of the retractor spring acting upon the belt when the latter is in use have included the mounting of adjustable clips on the belt which abut stationary fittings mounted to the vehicle seat to allow the passenger to adjust the clip into a position where it will abut the seat associated fitting and thus absorb the force of the retractor spring. However, such clips are not easily used and can allow a dangerous slack webbing condition to exist. Other approaches have provided manually manipulable means for locking the retractor against retraction, but which have the same potential dangerous condition of slack webbing.
Other tension relieving devices associated with safety belt retractors heretofore have provided one or more frictionally driven camming discs associated with pawl means for selectively preventing reel retraction in response to various manipulated movements of the belt. However, when the retractor reel is held in a stationary condition by such associated pawl means, additional means must be provided to create a low tension on the belt if a slack condition for the belt is to be avoided.